Defense Minister Yoab Gallant canceled a meeting on the issue of 'settler violence in Judea and Samaria' after National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir refused to send any representatives to the discussion.
Gallant's office told Israel National News - Arutz Sheva that the meeting has been postponed and that no new date has yet been set.
Officials in the coalition expressed bewilderment at the very idea of holding such a discussion while Israel is dealing with an increase in terrorism from the Palestinian Authority and wondered what is the urgency of dealing with "settler violence" instead of Arab terrorism.
Sources close to Ben-Gvir said that he "will not be a partner in Gallant's demonization of the settlers in Judea and Samaria. A discussion about settler violence is not acceptable to Minister Ben-Gvir and he will not allow it to happen."
Last week, it was reported that in preparation for the debate, Gallant asked the National Security Minister to send as his representative the commander of the Judea and Samaria District of the Police, Superintendent Uzi Levy.
Ben-Gvir informed the Defense Minister that he refuses to send Levy to the hearing. People close to Ben-Gvir stated that holding a discussion on the issue at a time when a wave of terrorism continues is "excessive and disproportionate."
"It cannot be that in discussions on Arab terrorism, Gallant sends a representative with the rank of major, while Gallant requests [that Ben-Gvir] send an officer with the rank of sergeant major to the discussion, which was all done due to pressure from the left," they said.
On the other hand, Ben Gvir suggested to Minister Gallant's representatives that he would send his chief of staff Chanamel Dorfman to the discussion. As of now, there has been no response from Gallant's staff to the offer.
The Defense Minister's Office responded: "The claim that the aforementioned discussion will take place on 'settler violence' is a complete lie. This is a discussion about the ways the security system can deal with acts of nationalist crime. We are sorry that Minister Ben-Gvir is harming the efforts to eradicate extreme violence in Judea and Samaria."